Geranium plant named ‘Paclit’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of Ivy  Geranium  plant named ‘Paclit’, characterized by its upright, outwardly spreading and trailing plant habit; vigorous growth habit; freely basal branching habit; large, double and purple-colored flowers; and good garden performance.

Botanical designation: Pelargonium peltatum.

Cultivar denomination: ‘Paclit’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Ivy Geranium plant, botanically known as Pelargonium peltatum, and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘Paclit’.

The new Ivy Geranium is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Dresden, Germany. The objective of the breeding program was to develop new large Ivy Geraniums with attractive flower coloration.

The new Ivy Geranium originated from a cross-pollination made by the Inventor during the summer of 1999 of two proprietary selections of Pelargonium peltatum, not patented. The cultivar Paclit was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a flowering plant within the progeny from the stated cross-pollination in a controlled environment in Dresden, Germany in June, 2000.

Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar by terminal cuttings in a controlled environment in Dresden, Germany since December, 2000 shown that the unique features of this new Ivy Geranium are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations of asexual reproduction.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘Paclit’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘Paclit’ as a new cultivar and distinguish it from other known Ivy Geranium cultivars:

-   -   1. Upright, outwardly spreading and trailing plant habit.     -   2. Vigorous growth habit.     -   3. Freely basal branching habit.     -   4. Large, double and purple-colored flowers.     -   5. Good garden performance.

Plants of the new Ivy Geranium differ primarily from plants of the parent selections in flower coloration.

Plants of the new Ivy Geranium can be compared to plants of the cultivar Pacblusy, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 14,208. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Dresden, Germany, plants of the new Ivy Geranium differed from plants of the cultivar Pacblusy in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Ivy Geranium were larger and more vigorous         than plants of the cultivar Pacblusy.     -   2. Plants of the new Ivy Geranium had longer lateral branches         and internodes than plants of the cultivar Pacblusy.     -   3. Plants of the new Ivy Geranium had larger leaves than plants         of the cultivar Pacblusy.     -   4. Plants of the new Ivy Geranium had larger umbels and flowers         than plants of the cultivar Pacblusy.     -   5. Plants of the new Ivy Geranium and the cultivar Pacblusy         differed in flower color.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPH

The accompanying colored photograph illustrates the overall appearance of the new cultivar, showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Flower and foliage colors in the photograph may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors of the new Ivy Geranium. The photograph comprises a side perspective view of a typical flowering plant of ‘Paclit’ grown in a container.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

Plants of the cultivar Paclit have not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environment, such as temperature and light intensity, without, however, any variance in genotype.

The aforementioned photograph, following observations and averaged measurements describe plants grown during the summer in 19-cm containers in Dresden, Germany, and under commercial practice in a glass-covered greenhouse with day temperatures ranging from 18 to 20° C., night temperatures about 18° C. and light levels ranging from 15 to 75 kilolux. Plants used for the photograph and the description were about nine months old. In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 1995 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Pelargonium peltatum cultivar Paclit. -   Parentage:     -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Proprietary selection of             Pelargonium peltatum, not patented.         -   Male, or pollen, parent.—Proprietary selection of             Pelargonium peltatum, not patented. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type cutting.—Terminal cuttings.         -   Time to initiate roots.—Summer: About 22 days at 20 to             23° C. Winter: About 22 days at 18 to 20° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant.—Summer: About one             month at 20 to 23° C. Winter: About 30 days at 18 to 20° C.         -   Root description.—Fine, fibrous; white in color.         -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching; dense. -   Plant description:     -   -   General appearance.—Upright, outwardly spreading, trailing             and eventually cascading plant habit; uniformly mounded;             densely foliated.         -   Growth and branching habit.—Vigorous growth habit. Freely             basal branching habit with about 25 to 30 lateral branches             per plant.         -   Plant height, to top of umbels.—About 30 cm.         -   Plants height, to top of foliar plane.—About 25 cm.         -   Plant width.—About 50 cm.         -   Lateral branches.—Length: About 30 cm. Diameter: About 3 to             5 mm. Internode length: About 2 to 3 cm. Texture: Pubescent.             Color: 147B.         -   Foliage description.—Arrangement: Opposite; simple. Length:             About 3.5 cm. Width: About 5 to 6 cm. Shape:             Palamately-lobed. Apex: Acute. Base: Cordate; open. Margin:             Lobed. Venation pattern: Palmate. Texture, upper surface:             Smooth, glabrous; leathery. Texture, lower surface: slightly             pubescent along the veins; leathery. Color: Developing and             fully expanded foliage, upper surface: 137A; venation, 137A.             Developing and fully expanded foliage, lower surface: 137B;             venation, 147C. Zonation pattern: Not observed. Petiole:             Length: About 2.5 to 3.5 cm. Diameter: About 2 mm. Texture,             upper and lower surfaces: Pubescent; waxy. Color, upper and             lower surfaces: 144A. -   Flower description:     -   -   Flower arrangement.—Purple-colored flowers; double rotate             flowers arranged in roughly hemispherical umbels arising             from apical leaf axils. Umbels displayed above the foliage             on strong peduncles. Flowers face upright to outwardly;             flowers mostly flat. Flowers not persistent. Flowers not             fragrant.         -   Quantity of flowers.—About 50 flower umbels per plant each             umbel with about five to eight flower buds and open flowers.         -   Flowering season.—Year-round under greenhouse conditions. In             the garden in Dresden, Germany, flowering is continuous             during the spring and summer.         -   Flower longevity.—Individual flowers last about six to ten             days on the plant; umbels last about three to four weeks on             the plant.         -   Umbel height.—About 5 cm.         -   Umbel diameter.—About 9 cm.         -   Flower diameter.—About 4 to 5 cm.         -   Flower depth (height).—About 3 cm.         -   Flower buds.—Length: About 1 to 1.2 cm. Diameter: About 4 to             5 mm. Shape: Elliptic. Color: 143A.         -   Petals.—Quantity per flower: About five. Length: About 2.5             to 3 cm. Width: About 1.5 to 2 cm. Shape: Obovate. Apex:             Rounded. Base: Attenuate. Margin: Entire. Texture, upper and             lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous; velvety. Color: When             opening, upper and lower surfaces: 74B. Fully opened, upper             surface: 78B; towards the base, close to 155D; venation,             74A; color becoming closer to 78D with development. Fully             opened, lower surface: 78C; towards the base, close to 155D;             venation, 78C.         -   Petaloids.—Quantity per flower: About 14 to 18. Length:             About 1 to 2 cm. Width: About 5 to 15 mm. Shape: Obovate;             irregular. Apex: Acute to rounded. Base: Attenuate. Margin:             Entire. Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous;             velvety. Color: When opening, upper and lower surfaces: 74B.             Fully opened, upper surface: 78B; towards the base, close to             155D; venation, 74A; color becoming closer to 78D with             development. Fully opened, lower surface: 78C; towards the             base, close to 155D; venation, 78C.         -   Sepals.—Quantity per flower: About seven in a single whorl.             Length: About 1 cm. Width: About 3 mm. Shape: Lanceolate.             Apex: Acute. Base: Attenuate. Margin: Entire. Texture, upper             and lower surfaces: Sparsely pubescent. Color, upper and             lower surfaces: 144A.         -   Peduncle (umbel stem).—Length: About 10 cm. Diameter: About             3 mm. Strength: Strong. Texture: Sparsely pubescent. Color:             144A.         -   Pedicel (individual flower stem).—Length: About 2 to 2.5 cm.             Diameter: About 1 to 1.5 mm. Strength: Strong. Texture:             Pubescent. Color: 144A.         -   Reproductive organs.—Androecium: Stamen quantity per flower:             About five to seven. Anther length: About 2 mm. Anther             shape: Elongated. Anther color: Brownish. Pollen amount:             Sparse. Pollen color: Golden brown. Gynoecium: Pistil             quantity per flower: One. Pistil length: About 3 mm. Stigma             shape: Five-parted. Stigma color: Red purple. Style length:             About 1 mm. Style color: Red purple. Ovary color: Pale             green.         -   Seed.—Seed development has not been observed. -   Disease/pest resistance: Plants of the new Ivy Geranium have not     been observed to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to Ivy     Geraniums. -   Garden performance: Plants of the new Ivy Geranium have been     observed to tolerate rain, wind, and temperatures ranging from −0.5     to 40° C. and have demonstrated good garden performance. 

1. A new and distinct cultivar of Ivy Geranium plant named ‘Paclit’, as herein illustrated and described. 